Impact molding machine



1950 H. w. DIETERT EI'AL IMPACT MOLDING MACHINE Filed May 2, 1949 FIG.4.V

INVENTORS HARRY W. DIETERT y RALPH E.STEINMUELLER ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 19, 1950 Harry W.::Dietert and Ralph EJSteinmueller, De-

=troit, .Mich., assignors to Harry Dietcrt Company, Detroit, .Mich., -.a corporation of Michigan Application May'2, 1949, Serial No. 90,907

4 Claims. 1

The invention relates to ramming machinesof that type more-particularly designed for usein the-ramming of test specimens of molding materials such, forinstance, as shown in Patent No. 2,400,851 to Ralph E. :Steinmueller, issued May 21, 1946. With such machines the ramming :is effected by'the impact of a weight of predetermined mass freely fa11ing through a predetermined distance and delivering its blow against the sample to be compressed. It is assumed that substantially ..all .of .the kinetic energy will be utllized'in the compacting of the material and that, therefore, the amount of compression or compacting will'be proportional thereto. This, however,:is disregarding the fact that the :support' oniwhich the machine restsis'not absolutely rigid. Consequently, some portion of the kinetic energy willberabsorbed-by theisupport resulting in inaccuracy of measurement.

It is the object of the instant invention to obtain a construction which will be accurate in its measurement regardless of variations in rigidity of the support on which the ramming machine rests.

To this end the invention consists in the means for storing and returning that portion of the energy which might otherwise be absorbed by the support.

The invention further consists in the construction as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of a ramming machine incorporating the improved construction;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view partly broken away;

Figure 3 is a cross section; and

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing a modified construction.

While the invention is applicable to different constructions of rammers, it will be specifically described in connection with the construction illustrated and described in Patent No. 2,400,851. In such construction a base A is provided with an upright column B having a laterally extending arm C at its upper end and a second arm D intermediate the arm C and the base. The arms C and D have formed therein guide bearings for a vertically movable rod E having at its lower end a ramming head F. Secured to the rod E is a cross head G on which is normally supported a Weight 1-1 slidably engaging the rod E. To raise the weight, a rotary cam I is mounted on the cross head to be operated by a crank handle J. The cam is so fashioned that during the rotation of saidcrank it will first lift and then drop the weight with the delivery of its impact against the cross head. There is also a lever K fulcrumed on thearm 1D and having acam portion for lifting both .the cross head G and the weight H resting thereon,-thereby lifting the ramming head a suflicient distance above the base for the insertion of the sample holder therebeneath and in'registration therewith.

Without further-description'of therammer, it willbe understood that when a sample container, such ;as L, is placed in registration with the rammer head ;F and thelatter is lowered to rest upon the'sample a rotation of the cam I by the crank J will lift the weight H permitting it to freelydrop delivering aniimpact first to the cross head G and second through the head F to the sample tobe rammed. If further ramming is required the crank J may be rotated a plurality of times delivering successive impacts to the work.

To conserve that portion of the kinetic energy of the falling weight which might otherwise be absorbed by the support on which the machine rests, there is provided a sub-base and a resilient support between the same and the main base. As preferably constructed, this sub-base is a plate M of steel or other suitable material which is secured at one end to the base A and extends therebeneath, spaced therefrom, in the form of a cantilever. More specifically the base A has at its rear side a depending portion A to which the plate M is secured by top bolts N. The plate is of sufficient thickness to have a considerable degree of rigidity and is also sufficiently resilient to store therein any energy due to the bending of the cantilever. As the line of impact of the falling weight is above the free end portion of the plate M, it is evident that any displacement of the base A resulting from said impact will only move it nearer to the plate M without appreciably moving the latter. In other words, the shock of impact will be cushioned by the resilient plate and the energy will be returned to move the base A upward counter to the direction of movement of the falling weight. Thus, this returned energy will also be utilized in compacting the sample,

It will be understood that there are many factors involved in determining the amount of displacement of the base and the period of its vibration. These include the relative masses of the base and the falling weight and also the hardness, resiliency and mass of the cantilever plate. If desired these factors may be so regulated that successive impacts of the falling weight may be timed 'with and opposite in direction to the return movement of the base actuated by the stored energy in the cantilever. Whether this or some other arrangement is made, it is still true that the greater portion of the kinetic energy which might be absorbed by the support if the base A were directly resting thereon, will be conserved and returned to efiect additional compacting of the sample.

Our improvements can be applied to any ordinary ramming machine by placing a spacer beneath one edge portion of the base of such machine and securing a resilient plate to said spacer and base to extend under the latter and form a sub-base for directly engaging the support for the machine. Such construction is illustrated in Figure 4.

What We claim as our invention is:

1. In a ramming machine, the combination with downwardly directed ramming means including a member of predetermined mass, and means for dropping the same through a predetermined distance to deliver its kinetic energy as an impact and a base against which the material is rammed, of a sub-base directly engaging the support for the machine, and a resilient cushion intermediate said sub-base and base for storing and returning any portion of the ramming energy effecting displacement of said base.

2. In a ramming machine, the combination with downwardly directed ramming means including a member of predetermined mass, and means for dropping the same through a predetermined distance to deliver its kinetic energy as an impact and a base against which the material is rammed, of a resilient cantilever subbase secured and extending under said base to directly engage the support for the machine adapted to store and return any portion of the ramming energy efiecting displacement of said base.

3. A ramming machine comprising downwardly directed ramming means including a member of predetermined mass, and means for dropping the same through a predetermined distance to deliver its kinetic energy as an impact, a, base against which the material is rammed, and a resilient plate secured to one edge portion of said base extending beneath and spaced therefrom, forming a means for storing and returning any portion of the ramming energy effecting displacement of said base.

4; A ramming machine comprising downwardly directed ramming means including a member of predetermined mass, and means for dropping the same through a predetermined distance to deliver its kinetic energy as an impact, a base against which the material is rammed, a spacer extending beneath one edge portion or said base, and a resilient plate secured to said spacer and base to extend beneath the latter, forming a sub-base for directly engaging the support for the machine and adapted to store and return any portion of the ramming energy effecting displacement of said base.

HARRY W. DIETERT. RALPH E. STEINMUELLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,057,466 Willetts Oct. 13, 1936 2,180,895 Doll et a1 Nov. 21, 1939 2,400,851 Steinmueller May 21, 1946 

